This is an application for funding for an international symposium to be held in Lexington, Kentucky on October 25-27, 1990. This meeting has been organized around the central theme of MODULATION OF RESPIRATORY PATTERN: PERIPHERAL AND CENTRAL MECHANISMS. Both central and peripheral mechanisms will be addressed in a broad-based format that includes approaches ranging from molecular and cellular designs to integrated responses in respiratory-related behavioral acts. Through emphasis of current information and hypotheses, the specific goals of this meeting will be to: A. Discuss the importance of respiratory afferents in the control of respiratory patterns. B. Highlight some of the applications and advantages associated with emerging techniques in the study of respiratory control mechanisms. C. Provide a forum for free discussion among the participants of the meeting. The general format of the meeting will involve nine slide sessions organized around specific issues related to central mechanisms and afferent inputs. Each session will be chaired by a recognized expert who has already accepted the task of providing an overview of the topic. Four related presentations will then address more specific current research problems. Each task will be followed by a short period for questions and/or discussion moderated by the chairman. In addition to the slide sessions, there will be two poster sessions which will be open to all attendees that are interested in presenting their recent data and/or ideas. The meeting will also include two plenary evening lectures that will involve reviews of respiratory afferent control mechanisms provided by distinguished investigators.